356. James SWINDLE
was born about 1822 in Linden, Perry Co., Tennessee. Born on the Swindle Prong
of Cedar Creek. He appeared on the census in 1850 in Perry Co., Tennessee.
He was Attended Mechanic School in 1850 in Perry Co., Tennessee. He was Founded
Old Swindle Coledge in 1855 in Missouri. He died on Aug 2 1909 in Corsicana,
Barry Co., Missouri. James founded the Old Swindle College in Barry Co., MO,
near Wheaton, Missouri. in 1855.
Hi Charles,
The obit is as follows and the paper has a picture of James Swindle and second
Wife Elizabeth Gibson/ Davidson.
"While the Butterfield Overland Stage was the first stage coach to haul
regular passengers and mail on a regular schedule through Barry Co to the West
Coast it was by not means the only state route through Barry County.
Following the Civil War several other stage routes sprang up throughout the county
including one from Pierce City to Fayetteville which came down the western side
of Barry Co.
The home of James Swindle of Wheaton which served as a stage coach stop for the
Pierce City to Fayetteville route was built shortly after the war by Swindle
who had been born in 1822 in Linden, Perry County, Tennessee on the Swindle Prong
of Cedar Creek.
A most industrious young man, James Swindle made a wagon for oxen, and everything
belonging to it, bows for cover, and yoke for the oxen, loaded his property and
set out for southwest Missouri in 1851. He came then to Barry County and during
the Civil War was a blacksmith at Cassville. He was married first to Eliza Fly
on August 19, 1852 and had Martha (Mrs. Jim Parks), John (Professor at Swindle
College), LaFayette (A minister in the Christian Church), George, and Eliza (Mrs.
Robert Carter Overton). After his first wife died in 1863 in the middle of the
war, he remarried in 1866 to Mrs. Elizabeth Davidson and there were three children
born to this union. Twins - Abe (at one time Tax Assessor and Collector for
Barry County), Nannie (married Dr. Oscar Overton) and Mary Francis (married Dr.
Jim Holmes). James Swindle died at his home at Corsicana on August 2, 1909.
The Swindle home which was torn down in 1905 had five fire places and its large
commodious rooms provided refuge for many a weary traveler of the rough roads
of that era.
Perhaps the most notable achievement of the Swindle family was the found of "Swindle
College" Their son, Professor John Swindle, who started a subscription school
on their premises in the early 1880's and erected the Swindle College Building
in the year 1885 or 1886. Beginning with the first grade, courses were taught
which would compare with those of the higher college levels. Courses in advanced
mathematics and literature were taught by John Swindle, who won acclaim as a
scholar at the University of Kentucky. Many young people boarded at the Swindle
home while attending school at Swindle College down through the years. It was
located two miles south of Corsicana at a spring after crossing Pogue's Creek.
The college was located on a hill near the residence.
Swindle College in later years suffered the fate of many rural academies, becoming
a consolidated school with Wheaton, and in 1955 the building was sold to Gray
McMillen and was moved to his farm. The old bell which summoned generations of
students to the study of the three R's is still in the belfry, and were it to
be rung today within the hearing of its former teachers and pupils, there would
doubtless be a strong pull of the listener heartstrings as they recalled the
past chapters in the history of the sturdy old school.
Recently a great-great nephew of James Swindle, Tracy David Cary, President of
the Pampa Genealogical Society of Pampa, TX visited the old landmarks of his
family here compiling data from the cemetery, Bible, county and school records
of the Swindle Family. He would appreciate any additional information.
{Article written in July 1960} Corsicana was in Barry Co but destroyed by a tornado
and never rebuilt.
Later, Judy
He was married to Eliza FLY on Aug 19 1852.
Eliza FLY died in 1863. James SWINDLE and Eliza FLY had the following
children:
+733 i.
Martha SWINDLE.
734 ii.
John SWINDLE was a Professor at SWINDLE COLLEGE. He was educated University
of Kentucky. John was a Professor at the Old Swindle Col ledge that his father,
James, founded.
735 iii.
Lafayette SWINDLE was a Minister in the Christian Church.
736 iv.
George SWINDLE.
+737 v.
Eliza SWINDLE.
He was married to Elizabeth
DAVIDSON in 1866. James SWINDLE and Elizabeth DAVIDSON had
the following children:
738 i.
Abe SWINDLE was a Tax Assessor & Collector in Missouri. Abe and Nannie
are twins.
+739 ii.
Nannie SWINDLE.
+740 iii.
Mary Frances SWINDLE.
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